1. Student will learn transferable information access skills.
2. Student will learn how to construct, implement, and refine patent searching strategies.
3. Student will have familiarity with key terminology.
4. Student will know of two free government-sponsored patent databases.
5. Student will learn the role of controlled vocabularies through patent classifications.
6. Student will be aware of ways to evaluate search results.

Based on ACRL STS Information Literacy Standards for Science and Engineering/Technology.

Standard 2: The information literate student acquires needed information effectively and efficiently.

• Performance Indicator 2: Constructs and implements effectively designed search strategies.
  a. Develops a research plan appropriate to the investigative method.
  b. Identifies keywords, synonyms and related terms for the information needed and selects the appropriate controlled vocabulary specific to the discipline or information retrieval system.
  d. Constructs a search strategy using appropriate commands for the information retrieval system selected (e.g. Boolean operators, truncation, and proximity for search engines; internal organizers such as indexes for books).
  f. Follows citations and cited references to identify additional, pertinent articles.
• Performance Indicator 4: Refines the search strategy if necessary.
  b. Identifies gaps in the information retrieved and determines if the search strategy should be revised.
  c. repeats the search using the revised strategy or new systems or methods as necessary.
• Performance Indicator 5: Extracts, records, transfers, and manages the information and its sources.
  a. Records all pertinent citation information for future reference by downloading, printing, emailing, or manual notation.

Standard 3: The information literate student critically evaluates the procured information and its sources, and as a result, decides whether or not to modify the initial query and/or seek additional sources and whether to develop a new research process.

• Performance Indicator 1: Summarizes the main ideas from the information gathered.
  a. Applies understanding of the structure of a scientific paper and uses sections, such as the abstract or conclusion, to summarize the main ideas.
• Performance Indicator 7: Determines whether initial query should be revised.
  a. Determines if original information need has been satisfied or if additional information is needed.
  b. Reviews search strategy and incorporates additional concepts as necessary.
• Performance Indicator 8: Evaluates the procured information and the entire process.
  a. Reviews and assesses information and determines possible improvements in the information seeking process.

Standard 4: The information literate student understands the economic, ethical, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information and its technologies and either as an individual or as a member of a group, uses information effectively, ethically, and legally to accomplish a specific purpose.

• Performance Indicator 3: Acknowledges the use of information sources in communicating the product or performance.
  a. Selects an appropriate documentation style for each research project and uses it consistently to cite sources.

Standard 5: The information literate student understands that information literacy is an ongoing process and an important component of lifelong learning and recognizes the need to keep current regarding new developments in his or her field.

• Performance Indicator 1: Recognizes the value of ongoing assimilation and preservation of knowledge in the field.
  c. Is able to apply information access skills learned in one subject area to another.